Ben
Franklin was almost right: In this world nothing is certain but death,
taxes…and wrinkles!
0ne
morning, as you're getting ready for work. the bathroom light hits
your cheek in a certain way and you discover you've got
wrinkles.
You don't know when they arrived. Or what you've done to deserve
them. But from that day forth. the -low of soft lights will always
feel comforting. |
Wrinkles
take years to come of age. The lines that show up
today have been decades in the making Repeated facial movements cause
expression lines. Add to that the power of gravity and heredity. plus
the damage caused by sun. drinking or smoking and you've got the big W.
Gravity. It causes sagging. and you can defy it only
so long--but excellent muscle tone and standing on your head may help
delay the fall from grace.
Sun. Even casual exposure breaks down collagen and elastin.
the protein network that supports the skin. When these collapse. so does
the skin. and wrinkles form You can see the sun's destructive power by
comparing the skin on your face with the skin on your backside. There
ain't no wrinkles where the sun never shines.
Smoking. Cosmetic surgeon Robert Kotler. M.D.,
discovered smokers were three times more likely to develop deep wrinkles.
He found that a third of those who smoked were severely wrinkled but only
12 percent of nonsmokers were. "Smoking causes blood vessels in the skin
to constrict, depriving tissue of nutrition." Dr. Kotler explains. "That
means less blood flow to the largest organ in the body. the skin. That's
why smokers' skin looks older, more wrinkled and is of poorer quality."
Drinking. Alcohol can wreak havoc. because heavy drinkers
tend not to eat well-balanced meals. And lack of vitamins --particularly
A and E--can make skin age more quickly.
Repairing damage
"We now have evidence that the skin can repair itself-and it's never too
late," say Barbara A. Gilchrest, M.D.. of Boston University School of
Medicine. sun damage if you use high SPF sunscreens and avoid prolonged
hours in the sun." Exercise also helps. since increased blood flow to
the skin provides extra nourishment and oxygen. For deep furrows, however.
you'll need medical treatment:
The so-called miracle drug, Retin-A, is a topical ointment that has FDA
approval as an anti-acne cream. It is now being used as an anti-aging
treatment-but it's only effective on fine wrinkles.
Face lifts can aid sagging skin, but they do not remove
fine lines or improve the texture of the skin. So far only chemical skin
peels and abrasion to the surface of the skin-the two most popular means
of refining skin texture can eliminate most wrinkles.
Dermabrasion is an office procedure done under local anesthetic. A special
tool scrapes the skin. smoothing out irregularities in the outermost layer.
Cost may range from $350 to $3,500. depending on the extent of the treatment.
Chemical peels are a surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia.
They're the most aggressive-and painful-treatment for wrinkles. Strong
chemicals. called phenol or trichloroacetic acid, cause the top layer
of' skin to separate from the deep layer, as they would in a blistering
burn. It takes from five to eight days for a new layer of skin to form.
but when it does, it is smooth and baby-soft.
The skin will often remain red, as if sunburned, for eight to 12 weeks
after surgery but the color can be hidden with protective makeup. The
cost of a peel. which is often coupled with a face lift, can top the $5,000
mark. Is wrinkle-free skin worth all the money. time and potential pain?
Many women seem to think so. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons
says chemical peels are fast becoming one of the most popular procedures.
Wrinkles are okay
But there is another counter-trend away from excessive cosmetic surgery.
Perhaps encouraged by First Lady Barbara Bush. who wears her lines as
beautifully as her pearls, many women look in the mirror and feel at peace
with nature. And over-40 beauties like Lauren Hutton and Linda Evans,
who haven't erased all evidence of time, are proving that healthy, beautiful
skin can be attractive-even if it doesn't look like a 20-year-old's. The
key is a lifetime dedication to sound nutrition, no cigarettes and no
sun. by Paddy Calistro
Dr.
Robert Kotler, Beverly Hills, CA has performed more than 5,000 major
cosmetic procedures during 25 years in private practice. As a spokesperson
for cosmetic surgeons, he regularly appears on radio and television, including
ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Fox News; 48 Hours and Oprah . He has been interviewed
in most leading magazines and newspapers. Read Dr.
Rober Kotler's full biography.
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